Donna's journal is so lovely to work on and has really taken shape, although the dimensions are now pushing their look on the original size, thankfully Donna has an ingenious way of fastening it.

First up an existing page, with some additions - predominantly the purple paint, giving it a more mystical quality I think

Then I added some hand stamped and cut houses and a painted heart on this existing page

Next up, the 'homemade' washi tape behind the picture on the right page, hand painted bunting along the top, and scrunched sheet of paper bottom left next to another image that Donna had put in the journal!

This one initially had the left strip and top strip on so I've added the think outside the box piece and the frame on the right.

And this page has some additional Union Jacks on the page

A brand new page, I'm enjoying playing with paint and texture at the moment

Then some paper and some paint

A little guy

And another two page spread,

With middle flap, the pink heart on the right is a chipboard heart

Ticket page

And the last double page in the book all ready for Donna to play with

The book is probably starting it's final phase now there may be one or two more full swaps before most of the pages will be completed and I'm having a blast, can't wait to see what Donna has done with my journal!

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Noticed this painting belongs initially to Nigel so added some blue drip paint to the top to contrast with the orange and some of my husband's guitar strings. In reference to Nigels love of Hawkwind I have added some words saying Spirit of the Age. I wanted to add a metal skirt at the bottom! but have left that area free for the further layers to be added. Hoping when my original painting comes back it has birds and lots of further layers etc etc added to it as I am not an elegant, jane austen reading wallflower at all..lol!

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

This stage has been done a lot quicker than the last one for me, I have a busy August so thought I would get organised especially has I had a couple of ideas as soon as Sarah's lovely journal arrived. I just love the fact that there is no pressure of time -scale to get these done. Just the freedom of having fun.Sarah's oriental page was beautiful and I know she loved it but I could not resist popping the Koi carp into the water and adding the eternity rubon.

This page was done on Sarah's gorgeous background. The apple and hand just went together along with 'Nothing tastes better,' which definitely goes with Forbidden fruit! What I could not decide was if this naughty caterpillar needed to go on the page too ... so I have placed him in the pocket at the back of the book and thought Sarah could take on that decision for us. Especially has I kept placing him on and off the page!This page was done completely by me but I am sure Sarah will be able to add something to it.Finally I started a background ready for Sarah to create her magic on.Like I say a quick turn around this time, made even quicker by a husband who saw the package and has already to posted it for me!

Wednesday, 18 July 2012

I am having HUGE amounts of fun doing these, and the reason there has been very few pics of these books is (I feel) largely due to me! I am so thick when it comes to doing this blogging stuff! but I won't say fear not as I was going to, but, be afraid be very afraid as I attempt now (I have half a day to spare) to put some little pics of what we are doing.

I apologise in advance to Effie as these are going to be very mixed up

The first 4 pics are in my book all combined efforts, it's such fun as Effie puts little bits into my book to play with, as the ladies, love that stamp, and since that pic was taken the ladies now wear crowns atop their heads,courtesy of Effie.

The last pic is in Effies book,she coloured the page and i've added the owl and bits,this is now going to be posted to Effie,and there are other pages I've done but I don't want to spoil the surprise for her,and,I don't want to subject you lot to any more of my ramblings!!!!

I would have liked this post to look different,but hey-ho maybe practise will make perfect? Oh would just like to add that the Gordons page and the ladies were done as the Queens Jubilee was going on,seemed rather apt,and Effie has done some lovely royal themed pages too......watch this post!

Monday, 16 July 2012

Between us Sarah and I have a lot of colour happening in our journals, I just love the way the pages work so well next to each other.

Sarah's Mystery project sticker page did not need very much added to it at all.

I swiped some white paint to the right of the page and put the word Strength on top using a rub on. A man with 2 pairs of arms must be pretty strong, I also gave him some swirls at his feet and a heart.

Sarah's background was perfect for these ladies, they have been lurking in my box of cut bits and bobs for ages.

This page I collaged some torn out pages from a book I have, I just loved the faces peeking through the layers of paint.

Did you notice this little fellow peeking out?

The next page has lots of texture. I used builder's scrim and a pulled apart serviette below lots of paint and then stencilled and added more layers.

Finally this page is in its very early stages, with torn up book pages and paint. I had to stop there as I had already done more on the previous page than I originally intended to do!

Thursday, 12 July 2012

Donna Louise Rodgers here: the whole ethos of the donna / virginia (D&V) collaboration was about the fact that an art hour a day keeps the blues away - I know that V is having a hard time of it at the moment, and I hit the blues whenever I have to go back to work having had time off doing art/crafts,

so my hour on V's book has lifted my spirits and I hope these images from the work I did for this round, will also lift hers...more layers and a started background...

this last one was done start to finish and only added to support the work I did on the back but actually I like this side more!!!!

I'm putting together a stash bag to send with the book, A few odds and ends I picked up in Ljublijana, I hope it cheers Virginia up after having the auditors in (having to go through annual external audit V has my absolute understanding of what a hard few weeks it must have been).